Wilson Center Experts

William E. Pomeranz

William Pomeranz is the Deputy Director of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. In addition, Dr. Pomeranz teaches Russian law at the Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, Georgetown University.

Dr. Pomeranz holds a B.A. from Haverford College, a M.Sc. from the University of Edinburgh, a J.D. cum laude from American University, and a Ph.D. in Russian History from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London. Prior to joining the Kennan Institute, Dr. Pomeranz practiced international law in the United States and Moscow, Russia. He advised clients on investment in the Russian Federation as well as on U.S. anti-money laundering requirements, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), U.S. export controls, and homeland security. He also served as Program Officer for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus at the National Endowment for Democracy from 1992-1999, where he evaluated grant applications and implemented projects in such areas as: the rule of law, pro-market reforms, human rights, the environment, independent media, civic education, and the development of independent trade unions.

Dr. Pomeranz heads up the Kennan Institute’s rule of law program, which has conducted major conferences on the Russian Constitution, separation of powers in Russia and Ukraine, the Jackson-Vanik amendment, and the influence of the European Court of Human Rights on Russian law. His research interests include Russian legal history as well as current Russian commercial and constitutional law. He wrote his Ph.D. dissertation on the emergence and development of the pre-revolutionary Russian legal profession (the advokatura). He also has written extensively on post-Soviet legal developments, including Russian foreign investment laws, judicial review, federalism, and corruption. His articles have been published in the Russian Review, Slavonic and East European Review, Review of Central and East European Law, Demokratizatsiya, American University International Law Review,Human Rights Brief, Russian Analytical Digest, and Problems of Post-Communism.

Related Content for this Expert

"For all of President Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric about Russian nationalism and economic self-reliance, he finds himself surprisingly constrained in his ability to respond to the European Commission’s action against Gazprom. Yet Putin will have to respond at a time when the country’s energy and economic options are limited. He also has to swallow the European Union’s reminder that even after Ukraine, Russia is not an international rule maker," writes William E. Pomeranz. more

The protection of property rights remains one of the most contentious issues in present-day Russia. From historically weak ownership rights to unclear laws to the reliance on offshore accounts, Russian property rights consistently seem to be under threat. This panel discussed historical, legal, and political attempts to enforce property rights and why this issue continues to be so controversial today. more

"Putin’s seemingly relaxed attitude was on display during his December state-of-the-nation address, where his “new” economic initiatives included reforms for small business, a complete amnesty to return Russian capital from abroad and support for Russian technology. Yet none of his proposals possess the urgency — and the details –that would soften Russia’s looming deep recession," writes Will Pomeranz. more

Russia’s Far East (RFE), Northeast Asia’s geographic and strategic heartland, is crucial to an understanding of Asia-Pacific power games, and is a potential focal point of geopolitical competition. A region two-thirds the size of the United States, the RFE possesses enormous natural wealth and a vital strategic location on the north Pacific, where the interests of several major powers – China, Japan, the Koreas and the United States – intersect and interact. more

When it comes to falling oil prices, good news at the pump could be very bad news when it comes to geopolitics. Many oil exporting nations could be facing fiscal and political calamity if prices were to drop and remain at levels lower than $100 per barrel. A panel of topic and regional experts discussed the situation during a recent Wilson Center event. That’s the focus of this edition of REWIND. more

Western sanctions have left Russia in dire financial circumstances — stuck somewhere between recession and stagnation. Though proven solutions exist for what now ails Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s geo-strategic and political choices have rendered these traditional economic approaches unworkable. more

As oil prices drop, The Wilson Center is focusing on the political and economic implications of lower petroleum prices, as long as they continue, in a number of key countries. Leading experts will speak to what the future could hold for Russia, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela with an added perspective on Saudi pricing power.
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William Pomeranz discussed Russian aggression against Ukraine on Bloomberg TV's "Street Smart" with Bloomberg Contributing Editor Richard Falkenrath. "Putin has made a political and military calculation and he believes that in the short term, he can handle these sorts of economic declines," Pomeranz said.

Two symbols have emerged from the events in Kyiv over the last few days: a heroic Maidan, and a bloody Yanukovich. Neither President Yanukovich nor the opposition, however, currently possesses the power to end the crisis. Will Pomeranz addresses the political options in the aftermath of the violent assault on the Maidan.

"As if Russia did not already have enough worries, with the security issues associated with the Sochi Olympics and the growing unrest next door in Ukraine, it now faces severe downward pressure on its currency," writes Will Pomeranz.

"The prestige of hosting the Olympics — and the huge international spotlight that accompanies the spectacle — limits Moscow’s ability to act decisively toward Ukraine as it might have otherwise," writes Will Pomeranz.

The upcoming Sochi Olympics prompted President Vladimir Putin to clear the decks of the country’s most prominent – and troubling – political cases, bringing renewed focus on the Russian judicial system. On the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution, William Pomeranz and Matthew Rojansky issue a rule of law report card for the Russian Federation.

In his final 2013 appearances, Putin subtly warned — and the Volgograd bombings graphically confirmed — that major changes must come in the new year. William Pomeranz analyzes Putin's December speeches and what they say about Russia in 2014.

"The suspended sentence handed down to the anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny has once again placed an unflattering spotlight on Russia’s legal system. Navalny himself recognized that the verdict was not a result of the judge’s private deliberations but a gesture of lenience mandated from above," writes Will Pomeranz in The National Interest.

The introduction of property rights represented one of the major accomplishments of the 1993 Russian Constitution. In a speech in St. Petersburg marking the 20th anniversary of the Constitution, Kennan Institute Deputy Director William Pomeranz addressed the evolution of economic and property rights in Russia as part of an assessment of the country’s constitutional development over the past two decades

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The protection of property rights remains one of the most contentious issues in present-day Russia. From historically weak ownership rights to unclear laws to the reliance on offshore accounts, Russian property rights consistently seem to be under threat. This panel discussed historical, legal, and political attempts to enforce property rights and why this issue continues to be so controversial today.

Russia’s Far East (RFE), Northeast Asia’s geographic and strategic heartland, is crucial to an understanding of Asia-Pacific power games, and is a potential focal point of geopolitical competition. A region two-thirds the size of the United States, the RFE possesses enormous natural wealth and a vital strategic location on the north Pacific, where the interests of several major powers – China, Japan, the Koreas and the United States – intersect and interact.

As oil prices drop, The Wilson Center is focusing on the political and economic implications of lower petroleum prices, as long as they continue, in a number of key countries. Leading experts will speak to what the future could hold for Russia, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela with an added perspective on Saudi pricing power.

The May 25 presidential election in Ukraine will represent a critical turning point in the ongoing crisis. Many questions hang in the balance as the date approaches. Will the elections be conducted peacefully, especially in eastern Ukraine? What will the turnout be? What role will Russia play? Will the first round produce a conclusive result?

On March 24 President Obama will travel to Europe for a Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands, followed by a U.S.-EU Summit in Brussels on March 26. Planned agenda items for these meetings, however, are likely to be overtaken by Russia’s accession of Crimea and continuing instability in Ukraine. Wilson Center experts in nuclear security, US-EU relations, and US-Russia relations and Ukraine previewed the President’s trip in a briefing session for media.

The Russian intervention in Crimea and the ongoing tensions in Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions clearly demonstrats that the Maidan drama is far from over. The Crimea crisis undermines the stability of the post-1991 European order and is an unexpected challenge to the West, which seems to be divided and reluctant to confront Russia.What does Russia want to achieve in Ukraine? Is Crimea its ultimate goal? How should the West respond?

Reception and performance featuring the music of Tschaikovsky and Rachmaninov to be held at the Russian Cultural Centre. This event features remarks by Fulbright-Kennan Institute Scholar, Alexander Okun. Cosponsored by the Russian Cultural Center and the Russian Chamber Arts Society.

On 13 December 2011, a panel of experts presented on Capitol Hill as part of the Wilson Center on the Hill program to discuss the status of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment following Russia’s accession to the WTO. For video of the Wilson Center on the Hill briefing, including commentary from Woodrow Wilson Center CEO and President Jane Harman, please click here.

This edition of the Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series, edited by F. Joseph Dresen and William E. Pomeranz, features the edited transcript of the 4 February 2010 conference on the Jackson-Vanik legislation. (Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Kennan Institute Occasional Paper Series #305, 2011. PDF 80 pages.)

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William Pomeranz, Acting Director of the Kennan Institute, discusses political and economic trends in post-Soviet countries. Lauren McCarthy, research scholar with the Kennan Institute, discusses continuing problems with human trafficking and slave labor in the Russian Federation.